The present invention is directed to a cover device adapted to be placed over food during the heating of the food so as to prevent food spatters. Accordingly, the present invention is specifically adapted to be placed over food contained on a plate, bowl or other receptacle during heating in a microwave oven so as to prevent food spatters on the bottom and top surfaces as well as the side walls of the oven cavity. Thus, the present invention operates as a washable resulable cover during the cooking or heating of food.
Ever since humankind begin preparing food in cooking utensils, there have problems in cleaning the food particles both from those utensils and from the immediate surroundings. This problem especially arises where during the preparation of foods which tend to bubble and spatter during the cooking operation since the production and release of steam creates food bubbles which burst and propel small portions of the food onto cooking surfaces, surrounding walls and other objects adjacent the cooking utensil. As food preparation became more sophisticated, utensils were constructed which included, as one of their concomitant features, lids and other covers which, when placed on the utensil, help prevent food spattering during cooking or heating of the food.
In recent times, however, huge strides in the technology of food preparation has been achieved by the advent of the increasingly popular microwave oven. As is generally well known, these ovens broadcast electromagnetic radiation into their interiors. This electromagnetic radiation has wavelengths specifically tuned to interact with natural frequencies of water molecules which, upon receipt of the microwave energy, become electromagnetically pumped thereby producing heat. Since most foods contain a substantial portion of water, the heat generated by the excited water molecules cooks the food fairly uniformly with less tendency for burning or scorching.
A problem has arisen with microwave use, though, in that the excitation of water molecules within the interior of the food builds up pressure in the form of steam, which can erupt through the food and cause food spatters. Indeed microwaves tend to produce even greater numbers of bursting bubbles of steam than conventional heating produces. Further, since the interior cavity of the oven is confined, the walls of the microwave cavity as well as the top and bottom surfaces of the cavity can become fairly soiled with food particles, thus requiring frequent cleaning.
As noted above, the traditional way of preventing food spatters primarily comprising the placing of a lid over a typical pan or pot during cooking. In addition to this technique, the prior art has included rigid metallic screens of sufficient diameter to be placed so as to cover the rim of a pot, pan or skillet. These techniques are not readily adaptable for microwave use. First, the use of lids which substantially seal a container are often inappropriate for microwave use since steam pressure builds up in an extremely short interval of time so that a large release of steam might blow a lid off the container. Rigid spatter screens are of metallic construction and are not suitable for microwave use since it is well known that utensil fabricated of metal or containing metal parts are not suitable for use in microwave ovens due to the reflective property of metal. Even if a rigid screen is constructed of a non-metallic material, the rigid screen is not suitable for use in covering a plate of food that is heated, this procedure being a common use of microwave heating.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved spatter device which is inexpensive yet which can readily act as a cover for containers in microwave ovens so that food spatters do not fly out of the container. There is a further need for such a spatter screen which can be used to cover food on an open plate in such a manner that food does not spatter therefrom. There is a further need for a spatter device which can be employed with a variety of different containers, yet which may be readily cleaned of any food particles that impinge thereon.